Easel



16, 1936. E. B. MORGAN ET A1. 2,044,589'

EASEL Filed July 25*I 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l lli Q VKAEsSz/ i Y I grWc/Yvbow frz/m95. Morgan Wlfel" M. Hanson june E6, E B MORGAN ET AL EASEL Filed July 25, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 frz/Ing E /Vorgan #Ja/fer M. Hanson @gw/24W@ Patented June 16, 1936 EJNETEITlv STATESi-P-,TEN

FFME.

Rapids, Mich., assignors t'oAmerican Seating Company, Grand Rapids, 'Mich.,V a'corporation of New Jersey VApplication July 23, 1934,.y Serial No. 736,545

2'Clai1ns.' (Cl. 45-'82) The present invention! relates to easels and more particularly to easel attachments for school desks.

The yprimary objects of the instant inventionl are to provide a device of the character'above indicated having adjustments adaptingA it for va-*wf rying needs and uses of the school pupil; to pro-f"Y vide such a device whichwhen being adjusted= for use or which when being returned to its nonusable position by thepupil, cannot be operated 1 in a manner that might cause Ybody or head in"4 juries to the pupil seated at` the desk forwardly: of the desk to which the device ofzthe invention is attached; .to provide such a device designe-d tof 5 vr minimize eye strain of the pupil using it; and,

to provide a device of the character above indicated which is serviceable and utilitarian in use, economical in manufacture and which is adaptable for attachment to existing or present type school desks.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a school desk showing the manner in which the attached device of the instant invention may be adjusted for use;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the device per se, a portion thereof being in section and showing the manner in which the operation thereof prevents movement beyond the forward edge of the desk to possibly injure the pupil seated at the desk forwardly thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, that portion which is shown in dotted lines indicating the swinging movement of the supported arm relative toits supporting arm;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 2, that portion which is shown in dotted lines indicating the movement of the supporting arm relative to the desk;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner in which the device may be consecutively moved from non-usable position shown in full lines to two different positions of use shown in dotted lines;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a modified form of easel;

Figure 7 is an end elevational View of the modied form of easel shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end elevational View partly in section and showing the manner in which the easel may be tilted about its horizontal axis; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view thereof on line 9 9 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts of lthe structure shown are designated by the Hsamenurnerals inthe several views, a school desk top I9 of the conventional type is drilled to provide a vertical bore Il.

I A collar l 2 having a bore i3 .of substantially the 5 "samer diameter as the bore il in the desk top is provided with pairs of upstanding stops I4, l5 and with ydepending lugs i6. This collar is mounted upon thedesk top with its bore in registration with the bore in the desk top and the upper sur- 10 face of vthis collar forms abearing for the laterally swingable supporting arm ll Whose vertically :depending pin i8 is disposed within the bores Il,

i3 ofthe collar and' desk-respectively.

.Thiypin protrudes below the lower' surface of 15 the desk top and is screw threaded to receive the nut i9 which when tightened against the Washer 20 secures the arm il for horizontal swinging movement relative to the desk top. The upstanding stops I4, I5 thus limit the swinging move- 20 ment of the arm Il and when the collar l2 is correctly fixed to the desk top, these stops prevent its swinging beyond the. forward side of the desk top to which it is attached, avoiding possible consequent head or bodily injury to the pupil seated forwardly thereof.

The other or free end of the supporting arm is here shown as provided with a vertical bore 2| and with a laterally extending portion 22 forming a stop. A bifurcated supported arm 23 embraces the free end of the. supporting arm I'I and a pintle 24 passing through the bifurcated ends of the supported arm 23 and the bore 2| of the supporting arm il provides means for laterally swinging the supported arm on its supporting arm. The stop 22 engages the supported arm to limit the forward swinging movement thereof as best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The opposite or free end oi the supported arm 23 is provided with a vertical bore 25 and in the easel construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rear side of the easel 26 is provided with a bifurcated plate 2l which embraces the free end of the supported arm. A pintle 28 passing through the bifurcated ends of the plate 2l and the bore 25 of the supported arm provides means for swinging the easel about a vertical axis. This easel is preferably formed from stamped sheet metal and may if desired be provided with a forwardly and upwardly flanged portion 29 adjacent its lower horizontal length to form a support for books, papers and the like.

In the modied construction shown in Figures 6 to 8, the easel 30 may likewise be formed of stamped sheet metal if desired. A T-shaped support 3| for the easel is rotatably disposed within the bore 25 of the supported arm 23 as best shown in Figure 6, and a plate 32 secured to the rear side of the easel in any suitable fashion rotatably and slidably embraces the oppositely disposed transverse or horizontal portions of the support.

Means for maintaining the easel in adjusted rotatable position upon its support about a horizontal axis comprises a set of teeth 33 on the support embracing portion of the plate 32, a laterally extending pin 34 carried by the Vertical portion of the support adapted to engage with the teeth, and a coiled expansion spring 35 confined between one end of the transverse portion of the support 3| and a flanged head 36 of the plate. Thus as the easel is rotated about its horizontal axis from the position shown in Figure 7 to the position shown in Figure 8, the pin consecutively engages within the several teeth 33 causing the easel to slide axially horizontally during the several engagements of the pin within the teeth.

In operation by the pupil, the arms supporting the easel may be swung from the position shown in full lines in the diagrammatic View, Figure 5, to either position shown in dotted lines in the same View. 'I'he easel may likewise be swung about its vertical axis in the construction shown Y in Figures 1 and 6 and about its horizontal aXis in the construction shown in Figure 6.

It will thus be seen that an easel attachment for school desks and the: like has been herein shown and described which is adjustable for varying needs and uses of the school pupil, which minimizes eye strain and Which cannot be operated in a manner to cause possible head or body injuries to the pupil seated forwardly of the desk to which the device is secured.

While but several specic embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it Will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

l. In a. ldevice of the class described, an easel, a T-shaped support therefor, a plate secured to the easel rotatably and slidably embracing the oppositely disposed transverse portions of the support, and means for maintaining the easel in adjusted rotatable position upon its support comprising a set of teeth on the support embracing portion of the plate, a pin on the support adapted to engage with said teeth, and spring tensioned means for effecting a sliding and rotating engagement of the plate relative to the pin.

2. In a device of the class described, an arm adapted for laterally swingable attachment to a desk, a T-shaped support secured adjacent the free end of the arm, an easel having a plate vertically, rotatably and slidably embracing the oppositely disposed transverse portions of the support, and means for maintaining the easel in adjusted rotatable position upon its support comprising a set of teeth on the support embracing portion of the plate, a pin on the support adapted 

